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Have you ever heard of a durian? It’s a bizarre, thorn-covered tropical fruit considered the “king of fruits” by many people in southeast Asia.

Weighing in at up to seven pounds, the durian is perhaps most famous (or infamous) for its strong, distinctive odor. Some can’t stand the fruit’s smell, comparing it to turpentine, rotten onions, or even raw sewage. The odor is so offensive to some people that durian fruits have been banned from some hotels and public transit systems in southeast Asia. Durians abound in Chinatowns around the country, however.

What does a durian taste like? It has a dense, slimy inner pulp, and while that may not sound appealing, some say the flavor makes up for the texture.

The 19th century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace had this to say about the durian’s unusual subtle flavor:

“Its consistence and flavour are indescribable,” he writes. “A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes.”

He adds, “It is neither acid nor sweet nor juicy; yet it wants neither of these qualities, for it is in itself perfect. It produces no nausea or other bad effect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop.”

To crack open this basketball-sized fruit without being impaled by its thick spikes, use a large sturdy knife to make a deep incision in the outer husk. Then, carefully pry open the incision until the shell splits in half, leaving the edible pulp exposed.

Have you ever tried (or smelled?) a durian? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!

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